Knittens

Jackpot!

Before I get into the really juicy stuff, my belly at 22 weeks and 2 days.  I gained a little too much these
past two weeks, so I'm really trying to pay attention to what I am eating.  I'm drinking water like it's going out of style, and we have taken all the rich and sugary foods out of the house.  Nothing but delicious whole foods for me. 

And maybe a little bit of that non-fat peach frozen yogurt I just made with our brand new ice cream maker!!  My mom, dad, DH, and I got my cousin and his fiancee a whole ice cream making set.  Down to the sprinkles!  Well, let me tell you. I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened this up at the in-laws.  I'm SO excited.  I think mostly because I can really limit the amount of sugar I put in.  There is just something about cool, smooth, and fruity that I really crave at night.  Now I can get my yogurt serving at the same time!

So, the knitting thing...

We're driving back from our Christmas Weekend Extravaganza, and I say to DH, "Gee, I sure did get a lot of knitting books this year..."  and he says, "Yea, I think like 10".  I was shocked.  "Oh no, not that many!" I said to him (sort of horified that he would suggest such a thing).

Well, with these two pictures alone that is... count 'em... 7 books.  I know have a very serious baby book selection.  There multiple patterns in each of them that I love.  I can't even choose which one I am the most excited for.  It is also nice to add some more design type books to my collection.  I always feel like these are a good source of information!  And, of course there are the good 'ol history books.

So, but the tally to 10.  I figure I should really learn a little bit more about the
craft that I love so much.  I spend a ton of time doing it, and really know very little about it in the scheme of things.  Hopefully these will help me with that a little.

We had a very nice weekend.  I spent some time knitting, of course. 

I have made some great progress on a Debbie Bliss blanket, the yarn is so soft, and I just LOVE the color.  Most of it was knit in the car, although I did get some serious knitting time in at the in-laws.

 

Once we got home, I started another sweater from the Rowan baby knits book.  It has cute scalloped edging and eyelets around the waist for a ribbon.  I'm making it out of a periwinkle color, although any picture that I ever take of it will make it look blue.  I still love it to pieces and can't wait to knit more on it.

And, in case you were wondering, we did make another ginger bread house this year! Mmmmm....  though I won't be the one eating it.

Hope you all had a happy holiday season. I can't wait to catch up and read all about it.  Also, have a safe and enjoyable New Year!!

Winter Wonderland

There is no snow.  It has been in the 50s for the past 3 weeks.  Is that bringing me down!?  HECK NO!  The Christmas spirit is alive and kicking at Chet Fahrenbach!

First, I made this adorable little newborn beanie last night.  It took me less than an hour.  It is so cute!  I am going to crochet 2 little pink flowers to put on the hat.  I hope they let Thaya wear it at the hospital!
Pattern: Ruffled Baby Hat from Little Seasame Knits
Size: Newborn
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in #002
Needles: Set of 5 US 7 dpns
Started & Finished:  December 21st, 2006

For whatever reason, any picture I take of this just kills the color of the yarn.  There is no way to do it justice.  It is really a perky, bright, spring green.  But that is obviously lost in this picture.

We are going to my folk's until Sunday (going to a Giants' game Sunday afternoon!) and then the inlaws until Tuesday.  This Christmas has the potential of being...

The. Best. Christmas. Ever.

You just can't mess with that!

So I leave you with a 21 week 1 day belly picture.

I've really got to get moving. I have to pack up the presents, water the plants, feed the cats, get dressed, pack, finish the laundry, pick out a knitting project, get supplies for said knitting project, pack up said knitting project, in the next 2 hours.  Yea, right.

Have a very Merry Christmas!  You may not hear from me until Tuesday!
Meg

Here's our beautiful baby...

Here she is, our beautuiful baby girl!  We went the entire ultrasound in suspense.  We ended up getting called in late, and then we had to endure 40 minutes of misc. measurements before the tech said, "Oh yea, you wanted to know the gender." 

Uh, yea.

First, I have to say it was really amazing being able to see so much of her.  We saw her heart beating, the different parts of her brain, her spine, legs, arms, belly, feet, hands....

We even saw the blood pumping through her and through the umbillical cord.  It was AMAZING!

So, in these three pictures you can see a 3/4 profile shot, a picture of her leg, and
a picture of her skull... the eye sockets, hemispheres of the brain, and jaw.  Pretty cool!

So, after the lady does all of her measurements, she gives her generic disclaimer that there is no way to know 100%, blah blah.  She zooms in, and there are the three lines!  I KNEW IT!  I just knew it was a girl.  We are so excited, and we can't wait for her to make an appearance.

So far, we're calling her Thaya Rose, and already she is our Princess!

Better updates for you on Friday.  I have a hard time blogging when I'm actually working!

Photo and Votes

Well, it is finally time for us to head to the hospital and get the level II ultrasound.  What does that mean?  I don't really know.  I think it just means it is a better quality.  I know that they are looking for specific parts of the anatomy...

So, what do you think?
BOY or GIRL?

Let me give you some quick stats to help you make up your mind.
Heartrate: 154-167
Positioning: Low
Activity level of baby: High
Cravings: Sweet and Spicey (and any combination of the two)
Major pregnancy milestones: Appendectomy, cold, upper respitory infection, intense fatigue, major heartburn, and other misc. unpleasantries

20 weeks and 1 day in this photo.  Sorry it isn't the best shot, camera battery died before I had the chance to take another.  The baby had a big growth spurt this week!

So, let me know what you think! Boy or girl?!
I'll let you know on Monday!

Last day off

Well, today was my last day off from work, and I'd have to say, I went out with a bang.  My mom came up to take me to my doctor for clearance (I'm still not supposed to be driving).  Well, these past few days, baby had a little bit of a growth spurt and I think that the nurse finally caught on that I was pregnant.  She put a pillow behind my back, put out the foot supports, and gave me a whole pile of magazines while I was waiting.

Naturally I was drawn to the magazine with the bright, natural colors, and the gorgeous glowing pregnant woman on the front.  I want that to be me.  Blissfully smiling in an infinite green pasture with my round little tummy warming in the sun.  You get the picture. 

I open up the Baby Center 2nd Trimester magazine and I'm happily flipping through when suddenly a couple of pages jumped out at me.  Why am I stopping here?  I actually paused to think about what exactly it was that made me stop.  I was specifically looking for the "make your own birthplan"  page, and this wasn't it.

Oh, I see.  These pages are covered in knitted garments, strategically broken down to "girl", "boy", and "unknown" pages.  It makes sense now.

I do some more research (IE: I started reading the print that they obnoxiously layed over the knits) and saw that there were free patterns available at their website!

Oh. My. God.  I LOVE THE OB!! 

The first adorable pattern that I saw was for Baby Booties

As you can see, they are cute and practical.  Hopefully the rib is elastic enough to actually hold the booties onto the baby's foot.  I already know that some of the booties I made just won't cut it.

The second pattern that I saw was for a Bunny Beanie

As you can see, this object would be put with the other annoyingly cute and torturous knits that I will be making my baby wear until s/he is old enough to remember (we can photoshop these outfits out of the pictures during the child's adolescence. if they are too young to remember, it never happened, and they can't use it against me 12 years from now).  This hat will be sister to frog beanie I'm planning, and cousin to the upside down flower petal hat.

After that visit, we headed to the mall for some Christmas shopping.  Of course I walked away with just as much stuff for me as I did for other people, but that's what happens when my mom and I go shopping.  We buy stuff.  I got some cute sweaters for the winter and some nice black pants.  Oh yea, and some stuff for other people, but I can't talk about that... don't want to ruin any suprises!

After the mall we went to a crib place.  I was just about to pass out at this point, I was so tired.  Well, in the back of the store, there was a crib and a dresser on clearnace.  The color was discontinued and they needed to get rid of the floor model (same way DH and i got our dinning room table!).  Oh my gosh BOTH PIECES for $500.  Can you believe it?? I made DH come straight over to see it.  The crib alone at Pottery Barn Kids was $500 and only converted into a toddler bed.  This one went all the way into a full sized bed! Also, the dresser that went with this crib was really big, but it was tall, not wide.  Perfect for a tight space!  My wonderful dad bought both of the pieces for me as a baby gift!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it.  I still can't!  I am so excited.

As if that wasn't enough.  To get off of my feet, I sat down in a glider.  Oh, it was heaven.  Well, we got that too!  And my mom gave us the down payment!  I am just beside myself!  She knows that she is going to be spending a lot of time in that glider though!!

Well, I'm satisfied.  Great quality pieces, nice and sturdy, great colors.  I absolutely LOVE the pieces.  We're going to pick up the crib this week, so I'll take some pictures.  We have 3 months until the glider comes in, but thats ok.  I've still got some time before baby arrives, and it will give us something to look forward too!

Ok, thanks for reading the long text post.  I'll put some pictures up of knitting and other stuff tomorrow or Thursday. 

ALSO, baby gender guessing game will start shortly!  Keep checking back!

 

On a roll

Pattern: Plaid Mittens by Alison at The Blue Blog
Size: In this case, sized to fit my hubby's hands
Yarn: Paton's Rumor in Hawthorn Heather
Needles: US 10.5 set of 5 dpns
Started:  December 6th, 2006 // Finished:  December 8th, 2006

Mittens may just be my new favorite thing.  They are quick, warm, and cozy.  Hard to go wrong with quick, warm, and cozy.  I also made him a matching hat using the Basic Hat Pattern from Stitch Cafe .  He has a tendancy to like hat with no brim that hit right around his eyebrows.  I was happy to oblidge :)

Now it is back to baby knitting.  Look, baby keeps growing!
This is me at 19 weeks.

I'm starting to fill in a little more on the sides, so it is looking a little less like a basket ball now.  I have a very tiny waist, but it is very high.  Anyway, I'm just looking a little more straight up and down from the back instead of curvey.

Anyway, since baby is growing, I feel that it is my duty to let baby's stash of FO to grow as well.  I have some of the RYC Cashsoft DK left, I think I'll make a beanie!

I'm feeling better, the antibiotics are working, although I'm still feeling worn out. Thanks for asking :)

Oh, and I bought my first diapers yesterday.  They are so tiny!!  And socks. SO SO TINY!  I daydream and nightdream and in between dream about this baby all the time!

Anyway, happy knitting, enjoy your weekend.

PS How is your holiday knitting going? Or not going?

Mittens and the flu

Because the appendectomy wasn't enough.  At least it gave me a chance to finish some more projects.

Pattern: My own
Size: Women's M
Yarn: Rowan Big Wool in Tricky
Needles: US 10.5 set of 5 dpns
Started & finished: December 3rd, 2006

This is another pair that I started today.  Its moving a little slower because the yarn is worsted, not super duper mega chunky.

These projects are all a part of my "work from the stash" project.  I figure I love yarn shops, and since I'm stuck at home (again), I may as well browse my own personal yarn shop.  I also need to reduce my stash a little because the yarn room is now going to be the nursery.  We don't have a lot of storage, so I need to "knit it all up".  I'm doing pretty good.  In the past 2 days, I'm down 4 skeins.

Which reminds me, I have another set of FO that I haven't posted pictures of.  Maybe another day.  I knit up a 1x1 rib scarf for DH out of the Rowan Big Wool in Zing. I had already made him a hat using the  Dulaan Zud  Hat pattern so I decided  to make him a matching scarft with the remaining yarn.   Unfortunatly, not enough to make him a pair of mittens, but I'll make it up to him :P

Oh, funny story before I go.

DH and I got eachother ipod nanos for Christmas this year.  I wanted to transfer some of my music off of my 40g ipod, but in order to do that, I needed to find my ipod!  I looked everywhere.  I tore apart the living room, dining room, every closet, I went out into the freezing cold and searched through the cars, I even looked in the bathroom.  Finally, DH joined me in the hunt.  He then proceeded to tear apart everything that I had torn apart.  I said to him, "you know, I think I remember seeing my headphones in my knitting bag... let me go check".  Yup, there was my ipod, just sitting in my knitting bag.

All DH could say was, "wow."

Another one!

Yup, another FO.  As if the other two sweaters, blanket, hat, and scarf weren't enough, here is another finished sweater.

Ok, I'm feeling a little guilty. I didn't start and finish this, I just finished it.  I actually started it at the end of July, knit everything but half a sleeve, and then dropped it.  I think it was a case of pregnancy brain.  Yesterday, while attempting to subside the overflowing waves of knitting that was rolling out of my stash, I found a plastic bag with this project, finished, just waiting to be seamed and blocked.  I did the seaming, but I am planning on steaming everything tomorrow so, here is the unblocked project!

Pattern: Velvet-edged Jacket from Debbie Bliss's Special Knits
Size: 6-9 months
Yarn: Rowan Calmer in Kiwi
Needles: US 3
Started: End of July // Finished: December 1st

In the book, the sweater is finished with a velvet edge and has buttons.  Since the yarn I used is very different than the yarn called for in the pattern, I don't think that the velvet edge will work.  This yarn is more of a warmer weather yarn.  I'm also exploring other fastening options (I really dont feel like sewing on buttons).  I'm thinking maybe a zipper or snaps.  Any suggestions?

I originally started this sweater as a present for the next family member who got pregnant.  As it turns out, it was me, so I guess I'll keep it for myself!

I also am feeling very brave right now, and want to share my appendectomy scars.  The swelling has really gone down, and I think that if you are ever faced with an emergancy appendectomy using laproscopic surgery, these will ease your mind a bit about the more "cosmetic" consequences.

The incision on the left side of the screen is where they inserted the tools and where they removed the appendix.  The scar at the botom of my belly button is where they pumped me with CO2 and inserted the camera.  The mark at the top of my belly button is where I had my belly button pierced :P
You can also see that my linea negra is starting to darken from the pregnancy!
So, rest assured, its not THAT bad.  I'll still be wearing a bikini in the summer, as long as this baby spares me the stretch marks!

So anyway, just a quick post.  DH and I have to go XMas shopping and food shopping now.  Enjoy your weekend!

Progress

I've made some pretty nice progress on the knitting front this week.  I guess that's one of the benefits of being "stuck" at home.

Pattern: Wills from RYC Classic Babies: Book Four
Size: 12-18 months
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft DK in Kingfisher
Needles: US 3 and 6, US 3 and 6 circulars
Started: November 26th // Finished: December 1st

I loved knitting this.  The yarn is super soft, and it seemed to soften even more as I worked with it.  It had a tendancy to get "fuzzy", but the places where the fluff formed showed no indication of weak spots in the yarn.

At first glance, the color seems very "boyish".  If I have a little girl, I think I'll have no issue making the color a little more feminine.  I think some embroidered pink flowers, or some pink cords would make this look precious on a little girl as well!  I decided to do one of the larger sizes, hopefully by that time, if it is a little girl, the baby will actually start LOOKING like a little girl!

I want to give special thanks to my brother, Roger, he is the one who gave me this yarn as a birthday present!  I love it!!

And, without further ado, my 18 week belly:

Yea yea yea, I'm carrying a basketball.  That means its a girl, right? :)  You can't see my appendectomy incisions - one is right in my belly button so its only visible when you look straight on.  The other one is just inside my right hip, it looks like a little red bump.

So what's next on my knitting to do?  I have to press the pieces that I've finished, sew up another sweater, then maybe I'll tackle some XMas presents.

Happy Knitting!